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This 312 km route runs from Sumida River to Nanyo, passing through Tokyo, Yamagata, Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Tochigi. In the past 30 days, 85 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Yonezawa, Yamagata.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
3 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Tokyo, Yamagata, Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tochigi.
One bear about 1 m long was sighted in a forest in Seki, Yonezawa City.
Yonezawa, Yamagata
Environment: forest / Size: adult
Yonezawa Tateishi, Yamagata
Environment: Park / Size: Adult
Nanyo 竹原, Yamagata
Nasushiobara 塩野崎, Tochigi
Nasushiobara 春日町, Tochigi
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Seki, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Yonezawa, Yamagata
Environment: Near homes / Size: Adult
Yonezawa Sekimachi, Yamagata
Around 6:30 a.m. in Konanmachi Tachi, Koriyama City, two bears were seen crossing the road.
Koriyama 湖南町舘, Fukushima
Around 6:30 on 2026-07-07, one bear was sighted moving in Tatenotate, Konan-machi, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.
Koriyama 湖南町舘, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Tsuboyo Minamihama, Inawashiro Town, Fukushima, around 09:30 on July 6.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
Environment: Forest / Size: Unknown
Yonezawa Kuchitazawa, Yamagata
One 1-meter bear was sighted in Konanmachi Hamaji, Koriyama City.
Koriyama 湖南町浜路, Fukushima
On Thursday, July 2 at approximately 11:25 a.m., near the 98.2-kilometer post on the outbound (up) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Katada, Inawashiro Town, a driver in his 40s observed a single bear (about 1 m in length) crossing the highway from the north side to the south side (toward the center of the road) while traveling on the outbound Ban-etsu Expressway (toward Iwaki). When the witness’s vehicle approached, the bear left toward the north side of the road.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
On July 1 (Wednesday) at around 1:30 p.m., on a private road in Umeda Ushiike area, Sukagawa City, a witness (a woman in her 40s) saw one bear (approximately 1 m in length) on the road while driving. The bear subsequently left for the woods.
Sukagawa, Fukushima
Environment: Farmland / Size: Adult
Nanyo 宮内, Yamagata
One bear was sighted in Miyauchi, Nanyo City, Yamagata.
Nanyo 宮内, Yamagata
On Monday, June 29 at around 11:20 a.m., near 312-1 Maeda Ko, Chiyoda, Inawashiro Town, south of Inawashiro Town Dai-ni Elementary School, a witness (female in her 50s), while on duty on the elementary school premises, sighted one bear (body length unknown) near the south side of the school. The bear later departed to the south.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
It was lumbering along through the field. When it noticed us, it ran toward the road.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
Environment: Forest / Size: Juvenile
Yonezawa Tsunagi, Yamagata
A woman in her 40s saw one bear about 1 meter long crossing the Nakano-Sukagawa Line in Umeda, Sukagawa City. The bear then left into brush on the north side of the road.
Sukagawa, Fukushima
On Friday, June 26, at around 7:40 a.m., on the Nakano–Sukagawa main prefectural road in Umeda Ushi-butsu area, Sukagawa City, a witness (woman in her 40s) while driving spotted one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road. The bear then left into the brush on the north side of the road.
Sukagawa, Fukushima
Environment: Road / Size: Adult
Nanyo 上野, Yamagata
On Thursday, June 25 at around 10:40 a.m., in the Kurateyama area of Akojima, Atami-machi, Kōriyama City, on National Route 49, a witness driving a vehicle saw one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) crossing National Route 49 from south to north. Its subsequent direction of departure is unknown.
Koriyama, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 25 at approximately 5:50 a.m., near the garbage collection area beside the Yarokunai Community Center at 228 Yarokunai, Hashirada, Sukagawa City, a neighbor witnessed one bear (about 1.5 m in body length) walking on the municipal road from south to north near that location.
Sukagawa 柱田, Fukushima
One bear, about 1.5 meters long, was sighted on a city road in Hatada, Sukagawa City, and was walking from south to north.
Sukagawa 柱田, Fukushima
One bear was sighted in Ueno, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture, crossing a road from north to south about 400 meters southeast of the former Hygeia Park.
Nanyo 上野, Yamagata
On Wednesday, June 24 at about 2:30 p.m., at 1157 Minamiorenzawayama, Hibara, Kitashiobara Village (on the road southeast of Michi-no-Eki Urabandai), a witness (age unknown, female) observed one bear (approx. 1 m in body length) crossing the national road from west to east. The subsequent whereabouts of the bear are unknown.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
On June 24 (Wednesday) at around 2:00 p.m., on National Route 118 in Shinbayashi, Makinochi, Ten’ei Village, Iwase District, the driver involved in the accident (a man in his 50s) was traveling east on the highway when he collided with a bear (about 1 m in length) that jumped out from the right side of the road. The bear then left on foot into the forest south of the road. The vehicle sustained minor damage in the traffic accident, and the driver was not injured.
Ten-ei Makinouchi, Fukushima
On June 24 (Wednesday) at around 9:50 a.m., in a forested area of Akaniida, Oaza Kumado, Daishin, Shirakawa City, a man in his 60s, while driving, sighted one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) in the forest.
Shirakawa 大信隈戸, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Oshin Kumado Akanida, Shirakawa City.
Shirakawa 大信隈戸, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 23 at approximately 7:19 a.m., on the road in Ikenoue, Oshinjo, Daishin, Shirakawa City, a man in his 40s, while driving, saw one bear (about 1 m in length) cross the road and head into the forest.
Shirakawa 大信上新城, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Oishinashinjō Ikenoue, Shirakawa City.
Shirakawa 大信上新城, Fukushima
On Monday, June 22 at about 12:30 p.m., on the Koriyama-Konan main prefectural road in Tachi, Kitabashime area, Konan Town, Koriyama City, a witness (male), while traveling by vehicle, saw one bear (approximately 1.5 m in body length) crossing the road from north to south and entering brush to the south.
Koriyama 湖南町舘, Fukushima
On Monday, June 22, at approximately 11:49 a.m., on the JR Ban'etsu West Line right-of-way within Goto, Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a train driver operating a train toward Aizuwakamatsu City collided with one bear (length unknown) that entered the right-of-way from the right. No injuries reported.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
On Monday, June 22 at approximately 11:45 a.m., on the Koriyama-Konan Line (principal prefectural road) in Kitaboshime area, Tachi, Konan-machi, Koriyama City, a male witness driving observed one bear (about 1.5 m in body length) crossing the road from north to south and entering brush to the south.
Koriyama 湖南町舘, Fukushima
On June 21 (Sunday) at approximately 6:10 PM, near the 95.6-kilometer post on the outbound (Niigata-bound) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Mochida, Kawageta, Inawashiro Town, a driver in his 40s observed a bear approximately 1 meter in body length on the south side of the road while traveling on the Ban-etsu Expressway outbound (toward Niigata). The bear’s movements after being sighted are unknown.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 21 at around 3:30 p.m., on the Banetsu West Line within Maeda, Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a train driver, while operating a train headed toward Aizuwakamatsu City, sighted one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) on the track area. The bear then left into the woods on the west side.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
Around 15:30 on 2026-06-21 in Sekito Maeda, Inawashiro Town, a JR Ban'etsu West Line train driver saw one bear about 0.5 m long inside the track area while operating the train.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Mitsuya, Inawashiro Town, Fukushima.
Inawashiro 字三ツ屋, Fukushima
Environment: riverbank / Size: adult
Takahata 大字上平柳, Yamagata
One bear was seen leaving the roadside for the mountains in Hayama, Inawashiro Town.
Inawashiro 字葉山, Fukushima
On Saturday, June 20 at approximately 6:40 a.m., in the Hayama area of Inawashiro Town, beside a municipal road, a witness (male in his 60s) traveling eastbound by vehicle on the road observed one bear (approximately 80 cm in body length) on the left roadside walking off into the northern woodland.
Inawashiro 字大沢, Fukushima
Around 4:00 PM on June 19, one bear about 1 meter long was sighted on a road in Oharanishi 1-chome, Nasushiobara City.
Nasushiobara 大原間, Tochigi
On Friday, June 19 at around 9:00 a.m., in the Odagawa Ushishimizu area of Shirakawa City, while driving through a mountain forest, a man in his 50s sighted one animal believed to be a bear (approximately 1 m in body length) in the mountain forest.
Shirakawa 豊地, Fukushima
In Shirakawa City Odagawa Ushimizu, around 09:00, one bear-like animal measuring 1 m was in a forest.
Shirakawa 豊地, Fukushima
On Friday, June 19 at approximately 6:20 AM, in the Tsuchiyuzawa mountain area of Inawashiro Town on National Route 459, a witness traveling north on Route 459 in a vehicle observed one bear (about 50 cm in body length) crossing the road from east to west. Afterwards, the bear left and went into the forested area to the west.
Inawashiro 字上川上, Fukushima
In Inawashiro Town's Tsuchiyuzawa-yama, around 06:20, one bear measuring 0.5 m was crossing Route 459.
Inawashiro 字土湯沢山, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 前弥六南町, Tochigi
On Thursday, June 18 at around 5:30 p.m., a bear about 1 meter long was sighted on the grounds of a resident’s home in Higashinakamura, Nagata, Inawashiro Town. The resident had been tending flowers in the garden when they spotted the bear on their property. The bear subsequently left, heading into the woods to the east.
Inawashiro 字堤西, Fukushima
Environment: Road / Size: Adult (fully grown)
Takahata 大字泉岡, Yamagata
Around 11:20 on 2026-06-18, one bear was sighted in Hibara, Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture.
Kitashiobara 大字桧原, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 18, at around 11:20 a.m., near Nakatsugawa Bridge in the Nakatsugawa Gorge on the Bandai-Azuma Lake Line (major prefectural road connecting Fukushima and Azuma, commonly called Bandai-Azuma Lake Line) in Wakamiyaza Azumayama Ko, Inawashiro Town, a witness (woman in her 50s) traveling eastbound by vehicle on the main road sighted a bear (approximately 70 cm in body length) crossing the road from north to south. The bear left on foot into the mountain forest south of the road.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
One bear (about 0.7 m long) was near the Nakatsugawa Gorge on the Bandai-Azuma Lake Line in Kitashiobara Village.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
Environment: Around residences / Size: Adult
Takahata 福沢南, Yamagata
Environment: Near human dwellings / Size: Adult
Nanyo 二色根, Yamagata
Environment: Near human dwellings / Size: Adult
Nanyo 二色根, Yamagata
Environment: Farmland / Size: Juvenile
Yonezawa Yanazawa, Yamagata
Was walking on the road. Approximately 1.0 m in body length.
Nanyo 郡山, Yamagata
Environment: Around houses / Size: Unknown
Nanyo 島貫, Yamagata
Environment: Near houses / Size: Unknown
Nanyo 島貫, Yamagata
Environment: Around houses / Size: Unknown
Nanyo 郡山, Yamagata
A bear was sighted in Tsuyubashi, Nanyo City, and later culled.
Nanyo 露橋, Yamagata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Nishine, Nanyo City.
Nanyo 二色根, Yamagata
Environment: Near residences / Size: Adult
Nanyo 二色根, Yamagata
Environment: Near houses / Size: Adult
Nanyo 三間通, Yamagata
On Tuesday, June 16, at approximately 6:06 p.m., near the 94.4-kilometer post on the downhill (eastbound) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a vehicle driver (male, in his 50s) traveling on the expressway toward Inawashiro spotted a bear crossing the highway from west to east. The bear, about 1 meter in body length, left the highway and went into the forested area on the east side of the expressway.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
Environment: Near homes / Size: Juvenile
Yonezawa Onogawamachi, Yamagata
Around 4:35 PM on 2026-06-16, one bear was sighted in Minamitōri, Nanyo City, Yamagata.
Nanyo 三間通, Yamagata
A bear was sighted at Chuohana Park in Mikamido, Nanyo City.
Nanyo 中央東, Yamagata
Environment: Near a park / Size: Adult
Nanyo 中央東, Yamagata
On Tuesday, June 16 at approximately 1:05 p.m., an man in his 80s, while doing farm work in a forested area of Atagoyama in Daishin Masumi, Shirakawa City, sighted two bears in the woods (one about 1 m in body length and the other about 50 cm).
Shirakawa 大信増見, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 16 at around 4:00 a.m., on a village road in Obokura (Obokura, Habisawa area), Saigō Village, a man driving a car sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length).
Nishigo, Fukushima
A bear was sighted at Atagoyama in Oshin Masumi, Shirakawa City.
Shirakawa 大信増見, Fukushima
Environment: Road / Size: Adult (fully grown)
Nanyo 上野, Yamagata
While driving a vehicle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) crossing the road.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 14 at approximately 1:43 p.m., near the 90.9 km post on the downhill lane of the Ban-etsu Expressway by 1684 Saka-ya, Tsuboyō, Inawashiro Town, a passenger car driven by a man in his 80s, while traveling in the first lane of the downhill direction, collided with a bear cub (about 50 cm in body length) that crossed from the right to the left side of the travel direction. The driver and passenger of the vehicle were not injured. The bear left the scene of the traffic accident.
Inawashiro 大字壺楊, Fukushima
While riding a bicycle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) walking toward them across the road.
Inawashiro 字堤東, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12 at around 5:00 p.m., on a municipal road in Kaminouchi, Iwanosato, Inawashiro Town, an eyewitness (female in her 80s) spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in length) crossing the municipal road from west to east while she was driving.
Inawashiro 字五十軒道南, Fukushima
While riding in a vehicle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) crossing the road.
Inawashiro 字堤東, Fukushima
Environment: Forest / Size: Adult
Yonezawa Tateishi, Yamagata
On Friday, June 12, at around 8:00 a.m., a witness spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) in the trees of a mulberry tree in a grove within a stand of mixed woods in Maehama, Tsuboyō, Inawashiro Town, to the west of the witness's residence.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
While at home, the observer spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) eating mulberries on a mulberry tree in a nearby grove of mixed trees.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
While driving a vehicle, the witness observed one bear (body length approx. 1 m) crossing the town road from east to west and then leaving into the woods on the west side.
Inawashiro 字平次郎沢山, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12 at approximately 7:50 a.m., in Inawashiro Town, Gorinbara area, on a municipal road, a witness driving south along the road observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road from east to west and leaving into the forest.
Inawashiro 字五輪原, Fukushima
One bear was sighted crossing a town road and leaving into the forest in Gorinbara, Inawashiro Town.
Inawashiro 字五輪原, Fukushima
Peak activity at 11:00 with 10 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
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In the past 30 days, 85 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Yonezawa, Yamagata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 11:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 312 km route runs from Sumida River to Nanyo, passing through Tokyo, Yamagata, Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Tochigi. In the past 30 days, 85 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Yonezawa, Yamagata. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
